Press Release
27 April 2006
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION DEAL ADDS CUTTING EDGE SERVICES TO FIXED FEE INJURY CLAIMS SCHEME
InterResolve, the independent claims resolution specialist, has today announced an agreement with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ ADR service provider arm, DRS-CIArb, and mediation specialists ADR Group to add an extensive range of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution services to its Bodily Injury Claims Scheme.
Claimants will now have access to the most highly-advanced resolution services from the UK’s recognised experts in these areas. These services complement those offered by the InterResolve Bodily Injury Claims Scheme, which provides fixed low-cost legal advice to claimants, early rehabilitation and mediation services and a settlement process outside the existing system prior to the pre-action protocol.
Peter Ashdown-Barr, Chief Executive Officer of InterResolve said: “The addition of such cutting edge services gives even greater breadth and depth to the InterResolve Scheme and will maximise earlier settlements for claimants and cost-savings for insurers compared to the existing claims system.
DRS-CIArb, a division of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, which provides independent, cost-effective services for consumer or commercial disputes, will be incorporating its RaPID (Resolving all Personal Injury Disputes) service as part of the InterResolve Scheme. Allan Connarty, Director of Operations at DRS-CIArb said: “We are delighted to be able to offer the RaPID service in support of BICS. This agreement demonstrates our willingness to work in collaboration with others in order to provide the most cost-effective independent ADR services available in specialist markets in the UK”.
Commenting on the importance of the agreement to the insurance market, Michael Lind, Managing Director of ADR Group said: “Insurers are recognising the financial benefit of engaging a well managed and well structured dispute resolution service for the early resolution of disputes. With Courts under increasing financial pressure, this scheme represents a sensible and feasible alternative to Claimants and Defendants seeking to avoid the delay and cost associated with Court action.”
InterResolve launched its Bodily Injury Claims Scheme earlier this year, providing claimants with access to independent legal advice on personal injury claims without the need to retain law firms – a first in the UK. This way, claims InterResolve, the advice is provided by specialist personal injury lawyers within a fixed fee structure based on the complexity of the claim with legal costs reduced by between 50% and 80% in most cases.
Legal advice is provided by members of LawAlliance, the new UK-wide claimant lawyer network, and will be made available to claimants at beginning of the claims process to identify whether early settlement can be achieved.
Ends
For further information contact:
Katie Vander Woerd
E: Katie.vander-woerd@adrgroup.co.uk
T: +44 (0) 117 946 7180.
About ADR Group
ADR Group is the leading professional alternative dispute resolution company in the UK. We are highly regarded both nationally and internationally as an authority in mediation and other cost-effective dispute resolution and prevention techniques spanning commercial, public-sector and family disputes.
The Group delivers a wide range of dispute resolution training programmes through its training faculty, with all programmes recognised and approved by the Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council. ADR Group is also recognised as an accredited mediation provider by the Civil Mediation Counsel, the UK’s leading mediation standards organisation.
ADR Group is an organisation supporting initiatives approved by the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the Court Service and various Court based mediation schemes around the country. The Group formed part of the European Commission’s ADR working party on the drafting and implementation of the EU ADR Code and Directive. ADR Group operates an International ADR Development Programme and has delivered mediation awareness and Judicial training programmes funded by the British Embassy, the Department for International Development and the World Bank Group.
About InterResolve
The InterResolve Group is an independent claims resolution specialist set up in 2004 by a group of experienced businessmen, sector experts, lawyers and mediators who recognised the need for a completely fresh approach to resolving problems in a number of industries. InterResolve’s primary current function is to create solution systems for inter-company/industry problems, particularly in the insurance claims sector, and to set up the infrastructure and vehicles to deliver and operate these solutions.
The result is a unique business offering which is gaining increasing recognition and support from both the business and legal communities.
The group is privately funded, well resourced and independent of any major corporate or other institution with an interest in its business sectors. This guarantees InterResolve’s neutrality which is essential for setting up and operating the collaboration arrangements with all sides of the industry to make the InterResolve Bodily Injury Claims Scheme (IR:BICS) and its other schemes work.
Last year the Group’s parent, InterResolve Holdings Limited, acquired InterMediation Group Ltd, one of the UK’s leading independent mediation providers. InterMediation was set up in 1999 by Peter Ashdown-Barr, who was subsequently appointed CEO of InterResolve Group, and the acquisition gives the InterResolve Group the benefit of InterMediation’s wealth of experience, its IM100 panel of experts and mediators, schemes and networks, as well as the fruits of its sector-focused research programmes.
Both InterResolve and InterMediation are accredited members of the UK Civil Mediation Council.
About DRS-CIArb
DRS-CIArb is a division of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
Operating to its core principles of independence, impartiality and integrity, DRS-CIArb provides over 100 bespoke ADR services covering millions of consumers and businesses throughout the world. These include arbitration, mediation, adjudication and early neutral evaluation services for personal injury, financial services and insurance, communications, media, technology, sport, medicine, health, commodities, construction, engineering, shipping and other transport sectors. DRS-CIArb is an approved mediation provider under the National Mediation Helpline.
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